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Post by SockMonkey on Jan 25, 2020 17:31:35 GMT
We're doing a cruise out of Barcelona and will have a couple of days before and one day/night after to explore.
Any tips/tricks/advice? I mean, obvs going to see Sagrada Familia & Gaudí architecture, so other than that?
ETA: I've been to Rome & Florence, 2 stops on this cruise, but not Naples. Thinking of doing Siena or Genoa or something other than Florence when we dock. Would love advice on that if you've done it.
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valincal
Drama Llama
Southern Alberta
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Post by valincal on Jan 25, 2020 18:08:39 GMT
I’ve done the food and wine walking tour with Spanish Trails in Barcelona a couple of times and it was very good.
Have you been to Pisa? If you’re docked at Livorno it’s worth seeing IMO. If you want to climb up, pre-book your tickets. A wine tasting/lunch is always good. We do that quite often when cruising the Mediterranean, both in France and Italy.
I’m doing a similar cruise this summer. I’ve never been to Mallorca so I’m looking forward to that.
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valincal
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Southern Alberta
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Post by valincal on Jan 25, 2020 18:10:31 GMT
ETA Pompeii is a must-see from Naples. We did a private tour with a fun sweet lady. I can give her your contact info if you like.
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Post by shanniebananie on Jan 25, 2020 18:27:12 GMT
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Post by SockMonkey on Jan 25, 2020 18:30:11 GMT
ETA Pompeii is a must-see from Naples. We did a private tour with a fun sweet lady. I can give her your contact info if you like. I'd love that. It's exactly what we'd want to do. |
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StephDRebel
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Post by StephDRebel on Jan 25, 2020 18:35:50 GMT
I did a med cruise from Barcelona last year, Pompeii was my favorite place of all of them.
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Post by gar on Jan 25, 2020 19:14:02 GMT
Just make sure you do some tapas bars and take time to wander the streets of the Gothic quarter  |
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Post by ~summer~ on Jan 25, 2020 19:24:54 GMT
Just make sure you do some tapas bars and take time to wander the streets of the Gothic quarter omg that sounds like heaven - so jealous! |
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Post by MichyM on Jan 25, 2020 19:31:31 GMT
I’ve been to Barcelona several times over 35 years. Besides La Sagrada Familia, Las Rambla, etc
La Boqueria, the big food market. Research beforehand where you’d like to grab a bite to eat. And if you’re into photography at all, go in the morning while the vendors are setting up. Much easier to get pics.
Drinks and tapas along Passieg del born.
Picasso Museum, I’ve been each time I’ve visited. Never gets old.
Park Güell, one of my favorite places to visit. Beautiful park with great views.
Palau de la Música Catalana
I’ve spent time in and outside a lot of beautiful buildings in my life. This is one of my favorites. Sign up beforehand for a free tour.
We visited Montserrat on our most recent visit. Unlike a previous poster, we found it dull (and usually enjoy things like this). For how much time it takes to get there and back, make sure you’d enjoy spending your time making the trip.
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muggins
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by muggins on Jan 25, 2020 19:33:34 GMT
DH and I spent a weekend in Barcelona last July. We loved Boqueria Market just off La Rambla. It’s primarily food and great for photo ops. I loved the fruit smoothies and various other take away snack foods available.
We loved Casa Battlo - the virtual guide is amazing. But we didn’t go into CASA Milo as the entrance fees are fairly steep.
Parc Güell is off the beaten track and was ok for an hour or two.
Just wondering around the city is interesting. DH and I wandered into the sex museum which was fun for an hour!! We also rented bicycles and rode along the boardwalks by the beach. Lots of fun restaurants and bars for people watching:) But as in all big cities, hold on to your purse. There are lots of pickpockets around.
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Post by silverlining on Jan 26, 2020 1:42:25 GMT
Another vote for La Boqueria, the large market on Las Ramblas, and for Parc Guell. We loved the benches up at the top and the views.
In Italy, you might be able to go to the beautiful walled city of Lucca, north of Pisa. You can walk along the top of the wall or ride bikes. We rented bikes and had a great time.
After going to Pompeii, we really enjoyed the museum in Naples where all the beautiful things excavated from there are on display.
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Post by Leone on Jan 26, 2020 13:48:46 GMT
We did not like the on and off bus in Mallorca...way too long and not real interesting. I would go to Capri when in Naples. Or the Amalfi coast.
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Post by smasonnc on Jan 26, 2020 14:45:35 GMT
My daughter lives in Barcelona so we go there a lot. I can't stress enough, watch for pickpockets, especially in tourist areas, Las Ramblas being the worst. Also, don't leave your phone or sunglasses on the table at a restaurant. Barcelona is great. So glad you're going to Sagrada Familia. It's amazing. The beaches are nice, too.
Montjuic offers beautiful views, but don't take the cable car. It's a long, poorly managed wait for a short ride. Take a taxi or public transport. You'll have more time on the top of the hill. It's an easy walk down.
Although flamenco isn't Catalonian, you can find flamenco shows in Barcelona. If you find one that's off the run, it will be better, cheaper, and less touristy. Same with little tapas places. It's great to just wander.
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wellway
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Post by wellway on Jan 26, 2020 15:05:55 GMT
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sueg
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Post by sueg on Jan 26, 2020 15:36:23 GMT
For Sagrada Familia, Park Geull and Casa Battlo, be sure to book tickets in advance, otherwise you will be in massive queues for hours, or may simply not be able to get in. You can book them online.
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Post by wordfish on Jan 26, 2020 16:19:04 GMT
My daughter was in Barcelona over the late summer last year. She caught a teenager trying to pickpocket her while in a crowd walking to the beach. She is fluent in Spanish so she gave him a loud piece of her mind.
She also was grabbed from behind and pulled into a building when she arrived from Italy later in the evening to her AirBNB. She managed to get away but she said it was only because I had recently made her read The Gift of Fear and she decided to go on pure instinct. She said that the neighborhood her AirBNB was in had been completely fine when she was there in 2017 but had rapidly transitioned to not-so-good by summer of 2019.
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Post by SockMonkey on Jan 26, 2020 16:21:53 GMT
My daughter was in Barcelona over the late summer last year. She caught a teenager trying to pickpocket her while in a crowd walking to the beach. She is fluent in Spanish so she gave him a loud piece of her mind. She also was grabbed from behind and pulled into a building when she arrived from Italy later in the evening to her AirBNB. She managed to get away but she said it was only because I had recently made her read The Gift of Fear and she decided to go on pure instinct. She said that the neighborhood her AirBNB was in had been completely fine when she was there in 2017 but had rapidly transitioned to not-so-good by summer of 2019. I've been to Europe several times now, am very familiar with the pickpocket situation, am a savvy traveler, and live very near Chicago. Urban settings don't scare me other than a healthy enough fear to be aware of my surroundings. I'm also not traveling alone. I was really looking for things to do in Barcelona and Italy and tips about what to eat/see/do, not so much safety, but thank you for your perspective. |
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Post by SockMonkey on Jan 26, 2020 16:22:09 GMT
For Sagrada Familia, Park Geull and Casa Battlo, be sure to book tickets in advance, otherwise you will be in massive queues for hours, or may simply not be able to get in. You can book them online. Thank you for this info! |
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Post by wordfish on Jan 26, 2020 16:29:33 GMT
My daughter was in Barcelona over the late summer last year. She caught a teenager trying to pickpocket her while in a crowd walking to the beach. She is fluent in Spanish so she gave him a loud piece of her mind. She also was grabbed from behind and pulled into a building when she arrived from Italy later in the evening to her AirBNB. She managed to get away but she said it was only because I had recently made her read The Gift of Fear and she decided to go on pure instinct. She said that the neighborhood her AirBNB was in had been completely fine when she was there in 2017 but had rapidly transitioned to not-so-good by summer of 2019. I've been to Europe several times now, am very familiar with the pickpocket situation, am a savvy traveler, and live very near Chicago. Urban settings don't scare me other than a healthy enough fear to be aware of my surroundings. I'm also not traveling alone. I was really looking for things to do in Barcelona and Italy and tips about what to eat/see/do, not so much safety, but thank you for your perspective. Sorry--your title asked for tips. I suppose I didn't give any of those, either. Here's one: Pompeii was a hit for my daughters; they highly recommended it to me. One had a bit of trouble with the climb and one was fine. They were there in late summer so the heat was a bit much. |
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Post by SockMonkey on Jan 26, 2020 16:35:22 GMT
I've been to Europe several times now, am very familiar with the pickpocket situation, am a savvy traveler, and live very near Chicago. Urban settings don't scare me other than a healthy enough fear to be aware of my surroundings. I'm also not traveling alone. I was really looking for things to do in Barcelona and Italy and tips about what to eat/see/do, not so much safety, but thank you for your perspective. Sorry--your title asked for tips. I suppose I didn't give any of those, either. Here's one: Pompeii was a hit for my daughters; they highly recommended it to me. One had a bit of trouble with the climb and one was fine. They were there in late summer so the heat was a bit much. Yes, we're expecting heat! When we visited Rome, it was mid-July and it was like 98º with no clouds the day we went to the Colosseum. We'll be better prepared this time for the heat! |
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Post by auntkelly on Jan 26, 2020 16:41:52 GMT
I thought Pompeii was fascinating, but our day trip to Capri was the most memorable vacation day ever. It was an absolute gorgeous day and we rented a little motorboat, bought some wine and cheese, and spent the day cruising around the island. I told my friends I felt just like Jackie O. only my boat was smaller. If you do go to Capri, wait until late in the day to go to the Blue Grotto. The lines to get on a boat in the morning were crazy longi, but by early afternoon, you could walk right up to a boat.
I also loved Pompeii, but we went in August so it was very hot. My husband is very fair and he burned even though he used sunscreen. If you go to Pompeii by train, make sure you get off at the right stop. One stop is for the town and the other is for the ruins.
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Loydene
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Post by Loydene on Jan 26, 2020 19:23:18 GMT
ETA Pompeii is a must-see from Naples. We did a private tour with a fun sweet lady. I can give her your contact info if you like. I'd like that information, please. WE are still trying to decide what to do when we have a port stop in Naples! |
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Post by gar on Jan 26, 2020 21:54:21 GMT
My daughter was in Barcelona over the late summer last year. She caught a teenager trying to pickpocket her while in a crowd walking to the beach. She is fluent in Spanish so she gave him a loud piece of her mind. She also was grabbed from behind and pulled into a building when she arrived from Italy later in the evening to her AirBNB. She managed to get away but she said it was only because I had recently made her read The Gift of Fear and she decided to go on pure instinct. She said that the neighborhood her AirBNB was in had been completely fine when she was there in 2017 but had rapidly transitioned to not-so-good by summer of 2019. I think whenever you travel you need to be aware of your surroundings and aware that pickpockets etc operate in pretty much every big/tourist city in the world. I also gave my DD the Gift of Fear, when she went to university in my case |
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Post by tenacious on Jan 26, 2020 22:22:59 GMT
I have done Barcelona twice, and this is also my favorite. |
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LeaP
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Post by LeaP on Jan 26, 2020 22:49:41 GMT
Where do you dock in Italy?
I love, love, love Naples, but it is not for everybody. Siena is a beautiful little city and I would strongly recommend it to everybody. There are also some nice little coastal towns. It all depends on where you dock. (<- I've never been on a cruise, but I refer to the travel between towns and cities.)
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Post by SockMonkey on Jan 26, 2020 23:10:29 GMT
Where do you dock in Italy?
I love, love, love Naples, but it is not for everybody. Siena is a beautiful little city and I would strongly recommend it to everybody. There are also some nice little coastal towns. It all depends on where you dock. (<- I've never been on a cruise, but I refer to the travel between towns and cities.)
Three Italy stops: LaSpezia (Florence), Civitaveccia (Rome) and Naples. We have seen all of Florence, so I don’t feel a need to return. |
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valincal
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Southern Alberta
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Post by valincal on Jan 26, 2020 23:14:43 GMT
Where do you dock in Italy?
I love, love, love Naples, but it is not for everybody. Siena is a beautiful little city and I would strongly recommend it to everybody. There are also some nice little coastal towns. It all depends on where you dock. (<- I've never been on a cruise, but I refer to the travel between towns and cities.)
Three Italy stops: LaSpezia (Florence), Civitaveccia (Rome) and Naples. Since you’re docking at La Spezia, have you considered the Cinque Terre? |
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paigepea
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Post by paigepea on Jan 27, 2020 3:09:57 GMT
Sagrada familia tickets on line in advance to bypass the line. I remember eating breakfast across the street and entering as soon as we could to bypass crowds.
Pompeii is great. The only good thing we found in Naples was the museum relating to Pompeii, and that was only good because we’d been to Pompeii. We spent a half day in Naples from storrento.
We stayed in cinque terra. It was beautiful.
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Post by worldwanderer75 on Jan 27, 2020 6:19:19 GMT
I did that cruise for my 40th birthday with my sisters! It was a blast!
PREBOOK all your tickets in Barcelona - everything sells out very very early and then you're out of luck. We missed out on going into the Sagrada Familia because no tickets. We also traveled in the off season so just book it now. There are 2 great hop on hop off lines in Barcelona that will get you to all the places you want to go. We went to tres cruces (three crosses) and loved seeing the city from so high above.
For Naples I suggest going to the Amalfi coast. We did half a day in Pompeii and half a day in Sorrento and loved it! (I ended up taking a trip back to Sorrento with my family the next year and spent 10 glorious days on the Amalfi coast because I loved visiting there on the cruise. It's the best vacation we've ever taken!) Another really cool thing we've done in that area is the Naples underground tour that takes you throughout all the history of the underground cisterns all over the city. Totally fascinating
We did a bike tour in Mallorca that was awesome.
Rome is amazing and there are surely things there that you have not seen or done. I've been to Rome 5 times and am still finding new places to explore. My favorite thing is Rome is the Forum. I'd get a really great guide to take you through and tell you all about the history. You could easily spend your entire day at the Vatican as well. Remember that you will need significant travel time from the dock into the city. We opted to do a cruise tour for Rome since we knew they would get us to the city and back on time.
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Anita
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Post by Anita on Jan 27, 2020 16:33:06 GMT
I used to live in Naples. Pompeii is amazing, and if you can also squeeze it in, go see Herculaneum as well. It's a seaside town that was buried in the same eruption, but is better preserved.
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